solar Q: 2 small vs 1 large

I would consider buying 2 100watt panels, (or 2 80 watt) mounting one of them on your trailers roof, and keeping the 2nd as a portable option that you can easily hook up and place where/when needed. I have 300watts on my roof, i sometimes am in a shady area so i have another 60watt portable panel that i can bust out and setup if i desire. I like having both on roof and portable. If i could only choose one or the other it would be on the roof. If you are set on portable only i would use 2 smaller sized panels rather then one huge one as it will be easier to move in and out of your trailer and store.

Solar is great, you will like.

Getting the biggest possible solar wattage makes sense. Those extra watts will help you on dark days when solar output drops 5-6 times compared to normal.

But, if you plan to use generator regularly for that initial "boost" (and then - solar), then extra solar wattage won't matter. 9 times out of 10 using generator is a choice, not a necessity. Solar can handle anything but fulltime A/C. The borderline wattage where you can leave your genny home, is 180-200W for a minimalist and/or in sunny climates, and 250-300W for other people. You are in the ballpark already. I would go for 2*100 or even 2*120.

A single 230-250W panel, while cheaper per watt and more efficient than 2*120W due to more efficient MPPT controller, is a 40 pound monster and it's huge 40"x65". I have 2 of them and couldn't be happier, but they are permanent on the roof.

Thanks for all the comments . . and oops! I confused watts with volts again - disregard 2 small vs 1 large and amps Q

I appreciate that schlepping panels around will be a bit of a pain - but I really have no choice. I don't want to park in the sun when it's hot and I don't think I'll need that much power. If I have to run the gen from time to time to boost - I'm OK with that - just so long as it become occassional or even rare as opposed to daily or even multiple times daily! Yes, will be making some type of stand - still looking into options - probably pvc - for ease of use and weight.

thanks for your time

Kelly

Hi,

Well said.

westend wrote:
First, I would think through the "portable" advantages, your use, and the schlepping of panels and stand before proceeding.

Good luck with solar. It is the best thing I've done for the operation of my RV.

First, I would think through the "portable" advantages, your use, and the schlepping of panels and stand before proceeding. I'd suggest to make some cardboard cutouts the size of the panels and move them in and out of your RV into the location where you're going to store them. I know some folks camp in their special shady spot so portability is needed to get them into the sun. For most of the rest of us, mounting them on the roof with the advantages of full-time power, security, and ease of no schlepping trumps portability.

I'd also suggest to compare dimensions of the various wattage panels and get the biggest you can. After installing solar, there is usually the epiphany that you now have a constant free source of power (if the sun shines). That can bring about the use of additional powered items that you discover makes your RV'ing a better thing.

The Bogart controller is a PWM device. That pretty well locks you into 12V panels. I chose to use a single 235W module and a small MPPT controller. It is more power per real estate and is cheaper/watt at the module level. A good, small MPPT controller is necessary and that costs more than typical PWM controllers. The upside is that you will have more control over charge settings and mine has a computer interface. Any charge controller will work with your Bogart battery monitor.

The stand: If it was me, I'd buy a length of aluminum flat stock, cut it into four pieces, drill a hole in each piece, drill a hole in the panel frame, and attach the four legs fabricated onto the modules. When you move the modules into storage, swing the legs against the module frame. Swing legs out deploy for use. I leave the foot of the legs to your own creativity but this would operate without any further modification for feet.

Good luck with solar. It is the best thing I've done for the operation of my RV.

There is nothing to think. You want pains of portable - go and buy then.
2*80 or 2*100.
2*100W with Y-splitters. You'll need those Y-splitters too.

yes, they will be easier to carry around, vs a single 150W 12V solar panel. I just leave my 150w panel on the bed, glass side down, to protect it. I do, however, regularly get 8.8 to 8.5 amps out of a poly crystalline panel, and I'd take a poly over mono crystalline panels, every single time... far more amps produced in lower light conditions. Worth the inconvenience to me.